This review evaluated the efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) for chronic fatigue syndrome. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using EA as an intervention for patients with chronic fatigue syndrome were identified in 6 databases (PUBMED, EMBASE, CNKI, J-STAGE, KMBASE, OASIS). Fatigue indicators were used as the primary outcome measures. The quality-of-life index, efficiency rate, and level of pain were used as secondary outcome measures. There were 408 patients from seven RCTs included in this study. Meta-analysis showed that EA was significantly associated with fatigue relief compared with the control group (n = 141 SMD = -1.55, 95% CI: -2.58 - -0.52, p = 0.003, I² = 92%). In addition, EA had a statistically significant improvement in quality of life compared with the control group (n = 176, SMD = -2.29, 95% CI: -3.68 - -0.90, p = 0.001, I² = 96%). One study reported ten cases of bleeding, however, no serious adverse events were reported in any of the included studies. This review determined that EA may have a greater clinical effect than the control group for fatigue relief and improved quality of life. However, there were several risks of bias identified. Not all of the RCTs accurately reported the research method, all studies were conducted in 1 country (China), and the number of studies included were small.
Objective: The purpose of this study is to report two cases of breast cancer patients whose side effects after Tamoxifen were treated with traditional Korean medicine.Methods: Two breast cancer patients underwent Tamoxifen after breast-conserving surgery, and both were treated with traditional Korean medicine. Subjective discomfort symptoms were evaluated using the Numerical Rating Scale. Adverse events were assessed using the National Cancer Institute Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events, Version 5.0.Results: After treatment with traditional Korean medicine, the discomfort symptoms that occurred after Tamoxifen, such as osteoarthritis, hot flushes, and cold sweat, all gradually improved. In addition, no hematologic, hepatic, or renal side effects were observed from the traditional Korean medicine treatment.Conclusion: This case study suggests that traditional Korean medicine may contribute to the improvement of side effects caused by Tamoxifen and enhance the quality of life of patients.
Failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) is a term that applies to symptoms such as persistent or recurring low back pain, paresthesia, sciatica, or numbness after spine surgery. Electroacupuncture (EA) has been reported to have excellent analgesic effects although there have been no systematic reviews on the effects of EA on FBSS. Therefore, a systematic review and meta-analysis of the effectiveness of EA on FBSS was conducted. Eight databases were searched for studies that used EA for FBSS and 7 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. RCTs of EA as combination therapy for FBSS compared with conventional treatment demonstrated improvement in the level of pain, lumbar functional scale scores, and quality of life. However, meta-analysis showed that reduction in pain was not statistically significant, while evaluation of lumbar function significantly improved, although the quality of evidence in the RCTs was generally low. RCTs comparing EA alone with conventional treatment demonstrated an improved level of pain, lumbar function, and effective rate of treatment. Meta-analysis showed that pain was significantly decreased in the EA alone group compared with the control group, although the quality of evidence was low. To improve the quality of evidence, high-quality RCTs are required in the future.
Sa-am acupuncture originated in the Chosun Dynasty and is a distinct feature of Korean medicine. It has been used to treat various diseases and conditions in clinical practice however, there is insufficient scientific evidence to support the use of Sa-am acupuncture. We aimed to comprehensively review the clinical studies of Sa-am acupuncture retrieved from national and international databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and 3 Korean databases). There were 52 articles reviewed including 29 case studies, 19 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and 4 uncontrolled trials. Neurological disorders were the most frequently studied, and kidney tonification, and directional supplementation and draining were the most frequently used methods. Overall, the outcomes were generally positive however, there were many additional treatments together with Sa-am acupuncture reported in the case reports, and the quality of evidence was low in the RCTs. Future studies should report the detailed method of practicing Saam acupuncture treatment and focus on the specific effect of Sa-am acupuncture with rigorous design to scientifically support the clinical use of Sa-am acupuncture.
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